Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
 
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda… 1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here

📷 Ash Diler

From Spain to Azerbaijan, to Germany to Bosnia, Europe has some of the finest mosques.

The presence of Islam in Europe is not a new phenomenon, with Muslims residing in the continent as early as the 8th century.

Here are 24 mosques across Europe #JummahMubarak

A thread… 1/ Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, Mostar, Bosnia

Dates back to 1617 & features numerous multicolored windows, a minaret with a lookout spot & a courtyard with several tombs. Although the original Ottoman mosque was heavily damaged during the attacks of the 1990s it has been restored

Welcome to Al-Mutanabbi Street the ‘Book Market of Baghdad’, where books remain in the street at night because Iraqis say:

“The reader does not steal and the thief does not read.”

A thread on the rich heritage of the historic book market on Al-Mutanabbi Street… 1/ Al-Mutanabbi Street is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, that dates back to the time of the Abbasids. Located near the old quarter of Baghdad, Al-Mutanabbi Street was Baghdad’s first book traders’ market.

Libraries developed in the Islamic Golden Age due to a commitment to literacy & seeking knowledge. One of the oldest libraries in the world Al-Qarawiyyin library, was founded by a Muslim woman, more than 12 centuries ago!

A thread on the greatest libraries in Islamic history… 1/ Al-Qarawiyyan Library, Fez, Morocco
 
Founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima El-Fihriya in 859, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world & the oldest library in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest working library, & is still in use today…

Designed to imitate the heavens, Islamic gardens are lush oases of scent, water and sacred geometry. They are a cool place of rest and a reminder of paradise.

Here are 20 beautiful Islamic gardens from across the world…

A thread…. 1/ Gardens @CambCentMosque

A harmonious balance between Islamic structure & relaxed English herbaceous and naturalistic planting. A concern for sustainability, biodiversity & insect-friendly planting has also been a constant theme in the selection of plants.

The colour blue (al-azraq) in Islamic tradition often signifies the impenetrable depths of the universe, and turquoise blue is thought to have mystical qualities.

Here are 24 beautiful Islamic buildings & mosques, designed using the colour blue…

A thread… 1/ Jalil Khayat Mosque, Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq

The largest mosque in the city, it was begun by Jalil Khayat who died in 2005 & completed in 2007 by his sons in memory of their father. The blue style resembles the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo & Blue mosque in Istanbul

Arabic is one of the most romantic languages. It has at least 11 words for love and each of them conveys a different stage in the process of falling in love.

For Arabic Language Day, a thread on expressions of love in Arabic… 1/ Habibi or Habibti (حبيبي/حبيبتي)

In Arabic, habibi (masculine) and habibti (feminine) means “my love”. Arabs use this as the most common expression of love - for friends, family, and sometimes, even strangers.

#ArabicLanguageDay

10 wise quotes from Khalil Gibran

Khalil Gibran (1881-1931) is a Lebanese-American poet, writer, and philosopher, who bridged the soul’s longing for truth with the world’s eternal search for wisdom.

Born in what is now modern-day Lebanon, Gibran moved to the United States as a young man, where he became an influential voice in both Eastern and Western literary traditions. His most famous work, The Prophet (1923), is a collection of 26 poetic essays that explores timeless themes such as love, freedom, work, and spirituality. Written in a lyrical, mystical style, The Prophet has been translated into more than 100 languages and remains one of the most widely read and beloved books of the 20th century. Gibran’s blend of Eastern mysticism and Western romanticism appealed to readers seeking spiritual and philosophical guidance.

Gibran’s impact on global literature and philosophy is immense, as his works transcend cultural and religious boundaries. His ideas about the interconnectedness of all humanity, the pursuit of personal freedom, and the power of love resonated with readers from diverse backgrounds. Gibran’s writings have influenced spiritual movements, literary circles, and even political discourse, especially in the Arab world where he is considered one of the most influential writers of modern Arabic literature. His philosophy emphasizes the universality of human experience, bridging the gap between East and West, and his poetic vision continues to inspire generations of thinkers, artists, and spiritual seekers worldwide. 2/

The first ever exhibition to explore the influence of art from the Islamic world on William Morris, one of Britain’s most important nineteenth century designers and thinkers is opening on Saturday 9 November 2024 at
@WMGallery

A thread on what to expect in the exhibition... 1/ A key founder of the Arts and Crafts Movement, Morris transformed British interiors with his intricate patterns in wallpapers, textiles, and carpets. While his love for Islamic art has long been noted, this exhibition @WMGallery is the first to examine this influence in depth

(Featured in the Exhibition - Peacock and Bird Carpet, designed by William Morris, c.1881)

Mariam Astrulabi was a pioneering female Muslim scientist & astronomer, born in Syria during the 10th century. She is known for developing Astrolabes, an ancient astronomical computer for solving problems related to time & position of the sun & stars

A thread on Mariam Astrulabi 1/ Mariam al Astrulabi's remarkable contribution to the art of astrolabes has largely been ignored by the world. What she achieved in the 10th century consequently helped several generations of scientists to explore the concept of time and space.

Astrolabe @HSMOxford

Did you know Mosque ceilings are designed to reflect the magnificence of the universe?

Here are spectacular details of 24 Mosque ceilings from around the world…

A thread… 1/ Jami Mosque, Andijan, Uzbekistan

The construction of the madrasah began in 1883 and lasted for 7 years. It has a gorgeous fretwork of wooden columns supporting a ceiling decorated with bright patterns made of a combination of geometrical ornaments & vegetal elements

Ever wondered who paved the way for the age of algorithms?

It was a 9th-century Muslim genius, mathematician, geographer & astronomer, Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi - also known as the Father of Algebra

A thread on the incredible Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi… 1/ Even the term algorithm is Al-Khwarizmi translated into Latin!

The scientist and mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi lived from 780 to 850 AD in Persia and Iraq.

Did you know that the Persian scholar of medicine, Ibn Sina (980-1037) suspected some diseases were spread by microorganisms.

To prevent human-to-human contamination, he came up with a method of isolating people for 40 days.

A thread on Ibn Sina & his impact on modern science… 1/ Ibn Sina, also known to the Latin West as Avicenna, was a Persian polymath and one of the most influential Islamic philosophers, physicians, and scientists of the medieval period. He was born in 980 CE in present-day Uzbekistan and passed away in 1037 CE in Iran.

‘Traveling leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller’

- Ibn Battuta

The most famous explorer in the Muslim World, Ibn Battuta, travelled more than any other explorer in pre-modern history - around 117,000 km!

A thread on the 14th century explorer Ibn Battuta… 1/ Ibn Battuta was born in 1304 CE in Tangier, Morocco. His travelogue the Rihla is his most important work. His journeys in the Rihla lasted for a period of almost thirty years, covering nearly the whole of the known Islamic world & beyond.

Ever wondered who invented robotics?

Ismail al-Jazari, a Muslim inventor from the 12th century is known as the "father of robotics" due to his groundbreaking work in the field of automata, which are self-operating machines.

A thread on Ismail al-Jazari, engineering & robotics… 1/ While robotics is considered a relatively new field of science, with the public’s consensus that it is the creation of 20th-century scientists, it would be surprising to know that the field has its roots in the medieval era nearly a millennium ago, with Ismail Al Jazari

Mahmoud Darwish (1941–2008) was a renowned Palestinian poet whose words have left an indelible mark on Arabic literature.

The beauty of his poetry lies in its rich language, blending personal and collective histories with poignant reflections on love, loss, and the quest for belonging. His legacy continues to inspire readers with its profound humanity and lyrical grace.

A thread on 10 beautiful quotes from Mahmoud Darwish… 1/ Beautiful quote from Mahmoud Darwish

Drinking coffee as a beverage is said to have originated in Yemen in the 15th century in Sufi Shrines. It was there that coffee berries were first roasted & brewed in a way similar to how the drink is prepared today

For #InternationalCoffeeDay a thread on coffee & Muslim culture 1/ Coffee was originally consumed in the Islamic world and was directly related to religious practices. For example, coffee helped its consumers fast in the day and stay awake at night, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan #InternationalCoffeeDay

Heavenly ceilings in Persian Islamic architecture…

Captured by Ghasem Baneshi Heavenly ceilings in Persian Islamic architecture…

Captured by Ghasem Baneshi

The very foundation of Islam is literacy - to read & seek knowledge. The first word of the Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was “Iqra” which means Read.

To celebrate International Literacy Day, here are beautiful Qur’anic manuscripts in museums across the world… 1/ ‘Read: In the name of thy Lord who created. Created man from a leech like clot. Read: And your Lord is the Most Bountiful. He taught by the pen. He taught man which he knew not’ (Al-`Alaq 96:1-5)

Folio, Manuscript of the Qur'an
Iran, 1550-1575
@LACMA #InternationalLiteracyDay

In 1807, Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar, was stolen from Senegal & sold into slavery in America. He left behind an autobiography written in Arabic.

To mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition, a thread on the remarkable story of Omar… 1/ Written in Arabic and recently acquired by the @librarycongress, "The Life of Omar Ibn Said” is not only a rare handwritten personal story of an American slave, but it's also one of the first intimate accounts of the early history of Muslims in the United States.

The stages of love in Arabic…

A thread… 1/ Hawā